Invited by Florida Senator Rick Scott to speak at a GOP luncheon in the Capitol, Trump had signalled ahead of time that he would use the closed-door meeting to push senators to pass his proof-of-citizenship voting bill.
But the conversation was more focused on Tuesday’s vote to approve the war powers resolution, a mostly symbolic measure that allows Congress to rebuke the administration’s military actions. The House passed its own version of the resolution earlier this month.
Trump had particular words for the four Republican senators who voted with Democrats on the measure – Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana – after calling them “losers” on social media.
Most Republicans stayed quiet. But Cassidy, who lost re-election in his primary last month after Trump endorsed an opponent, stood up and defended his vote.
“I stood and said, ‘You have not told the American people what’s going on,’” Cassidy told reporters after the meeting. “This was supposed to last four weeks, it’s lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved.”
The two men “went back and forth,” Cassidy said, and he “matched his tone and volume.” Cassidy said that he eventually de-escalated, but he did not want to be bullied.
“I am voting for war powers until I get a briefing,” he said afterward.
Trump repeatedly told Cassidy to sit down, according to a person familiar with the private meeting who was not authorised to discuss it. At one point, the president called the senator a “lunatic.”
Publicly, Trump said afterward that they had “a really great meeting.” But he hinted at the discord.
“We like everyone in the room,” Trump told reporters on his way out. “I don’t like a few people, but that’s okay”
The luncheon capped weeks of friction between Trump and Senate Republicans and added a new layer of frustration as Tuesday’s vote was the first time the Senate had adopted a war powers resolution on the Iran war.
Trump made clear he was in no mood to compromise before it even started, calling off a scheduled signing ceremony on a housing bill that passed both chambers overwhelmingly this week and that GOP lawmakers were touting as an election-year achievement.
Republican senators were eager for a conciliatory meeting with the president after escalating tensions in recent weeks. But Trump upended their plans when he declared on social media just beforehand that he wouldn’t sign the legislation until they send him the SAVE America Act, his bill to require proof of citizenship for all voters.
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis said he doesn’t know why Trump is holding the housing bill “hostage” for the voting bill that “will never pass in this Congress.”
“It makes no sense to me,” Tillis said as he walked into the luncheon.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the housing legislation, which aims to lower costs, is “an affordability issue,” Thune said, “and eventually I hope he finds a way to sign it.”
It’s unclear if Trump might veto the legislation. But by rejecting a public bill signing, Republicans worry that Trump is indicating a level of indifference to voters’ affordability concerns heading into November’s midterm elections.
Trump’s move on the housing bill is his latest reversal after weeks of being at odds with Senate Republicans.
Trump has blocked the Senate from confirming one of his own nominees , asked them to fund parts of his White House ballroom project despite opposition and forced them to defend the Iran war even as they question the strategy and endgame .
Trump has also helped whittle down his own support in the Senate after endorsing primary challengers to two GOP incumbents who were previously reliable votes for his agenda – Cassidy and Texas Senator John Cornyn . Both men have become more critical of Trump since losing re-election.
“If we’re going to win the midterm elections, we need to get on the same page,” Cornyn said ahead of the meeting. “We’re not on the same page now, and that I think is dangerous.”
The lunch meeting didn’t appear to bring the two sides any closer together. “It was kind of a one sided conversation,” Thune said afterward. (AP)
